The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-02-26
SALLIES TRAMP.
He First Amused Her and at Last
Married Her.

Married Her.
The clatter of pans, the rhythmic throb
of the rolling-pin, with the accompani-
ment of slamming oven doors. and a
girls CHEEKY voice singing snatches of
old love songs. Pretty black-eyed
Sallie Elliott, farmers daughter. busy
at work as usual, and singing as she
wrought that busy afternoon before
Christmas. Stewing and baking and
trying to be done for tomorrow and to-
morrow's crowd of visitors, and the
aroma of stewing fruits, baking cakes
and pies, and frying doughnuts filled
the room and was waited out through
the partly open door, and down to the
roadway. Father and brothers had
driven out into the field gathering corn.
mother had just stepped over to a
neighbor's, and she was left all to her
pretty self to do the accustomed Satur-
day afternoons fixing. Quite a lot of
il too, seemingly, for one pair of little
hands to do, but they were deft, willing
little hands, and the way work flew be-
fore them was simply magical. A
clumsy shuttle along the walk, an un-
steady step on the porch, and the door
was pushed rudely open, and q mans
burly figure darkened the doorway.
The blithe song died away in pitiful
little quaver.
s.Ha, ha! Now Ihave you! A weak
Girl all alone saw men folks leave
neighbors too far to be alarmed too
cowardly to use weapons even did she
have them-in short an easy victim.
To-morrow's dailies will announce
another fiendish murder by tramps to
a sensation loving world! just fresh
from Strengthening my one-hundredth
man, while my arrests, robberies etc,
are entirely too numerous to mention"
All the tramp had said was only too
true. But though the rosy cheeks did
turn deathly pale and there was the
least perceptible CULVER about the rose
bud mouth, the black eyes flashed
ominously as they cast a furtive glance
at the cleaning butcher knife lying
near.
Butcher knife won't amount to q
hill of beans" observing the glance
evil only add q spice of danger to the
sport, and thereby render it more ex-
hilarating! just as well meet your
fate resignedly. Your only respite or
hope is, to at once set before me plenty
of the very best you have to eat this
very minute. Look sharp nowr'
She looked at the man critically. A
rough. ragged and dirty man, with un-
kempt hair and rough stubble of
beard covering his face, and a pair of
bright mischievously twinkling blue
eyes that gave the lie to his threaten
ings.
20, perhaps you are not altogether
so bad man as You seem to wish to
make out, ]" she ventured with pitiful
attempt at smile. 'sAt any.rate, not
so bad as to take advantage of q help
less girl who never did you HARM"
What, not, and a tramp! A rag
ged, dirty and brutal tramp" he ex-
claimed. Surely you can't have kept
up with the papers! All poor fellows
out of luck, and ragged and dirty are
tramps, and to be kicked and cuffed
about like dogs and then wondered at,
that some of them act the dog they are
treated"
but all men . little ragged and
dirty are not tramps. more than all
men who are finely dressed are gentle
men," answered Sallie with q little
laugh now. IF they were, we should
have lots Of tramps who are any thing
else. and lots Of fine gentlemen who
are not so considered.
If you doubt my tramphood, just
put something before me really good
to eat, and will convince you beyond
doubt Be quick about it, seating
himself at the table-''for amin haste
to be through and proceed to murder
YOU, plumber the house, and then fire il
according to the usual and most APP
proved method"
Sallie laughed little uneasy laugh.
1t was plain to be seen that the fellow
had no notion of doing as he boosted,
still her position was not one very en-
viable by any means.
Certainly you shall have something
to eat. she fastened to say, I'VE never
turn any one away hungry. no matter
who. Not very much of . fire-let il
go down while at my bread, stirring
Il vigorously;--"will run out after d
little wood.
mot much win your exclaimed the
tramp springipg to his feet; lam too
sharp for that; all you want Is 70 gel
ont In sight Of some one passing and
give the alarm. l saw the wood pile
framps always look to that, you bot
saw that it was all worked up too, else
shouldn't have honored you. III 50
for the wood Mhilo you put on ny din
ner. By the By, lust introduoo thu